Part 11: Pihu's Guilt
THIS IS JUST A PREVIEW: DUE TO THE CHAPTER BEING TOO LENGTHY AND EXCEEDING THE SIZE LIMIT I CAN'T POST THE COMPLETE VERSION HERE.
Complete story on Wattpad: https://goo.gl/exggCE
ON INDIAFORUMS:
PROLOGUE: https://goo.gl/o7rEME
PART 1: https://goo.gl/8je7NB
PART 2: https://goo.gl/bZsqwV
Part 3: https://goo.gl/S66JsN
PART 4: https://goo.gl/yLnTtS
Part 5: https://goo.gl/pWL3eE
Part 6: https://goo.gl/yNaSW9
Part 7: https://goo.gl/aSQ664
Part 8: https://goo.gl/xhdJk5
Part 9: https://goo.gl/694QkY
Part 10: https://goo.gl/gBtPGN
Simmi's Bedroom:
The day has started bright and early for Simmi and Param.
Simmi: Param Ji! Mujhe toh yakeen nahin ho raha ki hum apne manzil ke ek kadam kareeb itni aasani se aa gaye.
Param: Yeh toh hona hi tha Simmo! Itne saloon ki mehanat ab rang lai hai na! Shayad Raman ko iss din ke liye apne control mein rakha tha humne taki sahi waqt aane pe hum Ishita ko barbaad kar sake. Kitna pyaar tha dono mein aur aaj dekho Raman ne us love story ka "the end" apne hi hathon se likha hai!!
Their conversation comes to an abrupt end as there is a knock on their door. Param opens the door to let Mihika in.
Mihika: Kya hua Simmi Di? Itni subah message karke kyun bulaaya?
Simmi: Socha tumhari good morning ko thoda aur good kar doon. Yeh dekh!!
Simmi hands over a file to Mihika. Mihika opens it and looks at it with disbelief.
Mihika: Oh My God! Simmi di!! Yeh... I don't believe this!! Mujhe laga tha ki bahut papad belne padenge sign karwane ke liye. But aapne... wow... you are great!
Param: Meri Simmo hai hi kamaal!
Mihika: Waise accha hua yeh mauka mil gaya. Lage haath mujhe aap se kuch zaroori baat karni thi.
Simmi: Kya hua?
Mihika: Woh Ishita ke divorce ke bare mein. Actually main kal apne lawyer se baat kar rahi thi- actually mere divorce ke final hearing ka date aa gaya hai. Lage haath maine use is case ke bare mein bhi bataya. Mera lawyer accha hai toh I think humein use is divorce ke liye bhi use karna chahiye. Maine use kaha ki is case mein bhi fast track divorce karwana hai jaise mera aur Romi ka ho raha hai and second jo sabse important hai- Ishita aur Raman ka court mein aamna samna nahin hona chahiye warna Raman ko pata chal jayega ki Ishita hi uski wife aur Pihu ki maa hai.
Simmi: Yeh toh tune ekdum sahi socha Mihika. Itna toh maine bhi nahi dhayan diya tha paper sign karana toh first step hai. Toh kya kaha tumhare lawyer ne?
Mihika: Usne solution nikala hai. Since yeh divorce fast track with mutual consent hoga toh sirf ek hi hearing hogi court mein. Agar hum chahte hai ki dono ka aamna samna na ho toh dono ko hi us din court mein nahin aana hoga and uske badle hamara lawyer ek affidavit submit karega divorce papers ke sath jisme clearly likha hoga ki unka divorce mutual hai due to irreconcilable differences aur dono ko joh divorce ke terms and conditions hai woh manzoor hai and the lawyer has full authority to represent them in their absence.
Param: Toh bolo apne lawyer ko ki bana de yeh affidavit aur submit kar dega woh divorce papers ke sath.
Mihika: Dono ke nam se alag alag affidavit banenge aur uspe bhi unke sign chahiye honge. Maine apne lawyer ko bol diya hai affidavit banwa ke aaj hi bhijawa de. Infact papers bus aate hi honge. Raman ke sign toh aap le loge. Problem hogi Ishita ke sign lene mein.
Param: Ek second phir tumne Romi ke sign kaise liye affidavit pe?
Mihika: Arey humein kyun affidavit chahiye? Hum toh judge ke samne ja ke bol sakte hai na ki humein divorce chahiye. Humein ek dusre se court mein chupne ki kya zaroorat hai?
Param: Arey haan! Sorry! Itna legal knowledge hai nahin na hum dono ko isliye confuse ho gaya thoda main.
Simmi: Ishita toh sign karegi hi. Usne kaha tha na ki Raman bhai ne sign kar diya toh woh bhi kar degi.
Mihika: Usne kaha aur aapne man liya?!? Woh itni aasani se nahi karegi. Uske liye kuch bada sochna hoga.
Param: Mihika bilkul theek keh rahi hai Simmo. Hum uske samne Raman ke sign kiye hue papers le jayenge aur woh bus aise hi sign kar degi! Impossible!! Usse sign karwane ke liye uski sabse badi kamzori ko uske khilaf use karna hoga.
Simmi: Aisi kaun se kamzori hai uski?
Param: Sochte hain. Dhoondhe pe toh bhagwan bhi mil jata hai yeh toh bus ek kamzori hai. But kuch aisa jal bichana hoga ki Ishita sochne samajhne ki halat mein na rahe aur phir ek hi baar mein woh divorce papers aur affidavit dono pe sign kar de.
Just then there is a knock at the door and Neelu enters with an envelope in her hand.
Neelu: Mihika bhabhi- aapke liye koi yeh abhi de gaya.
Mihika: Thank you Neelu. Main dekh lungi.
Once Neelu leaves, Mihika opens the envelope and looks at the papers. She passes one paper to Simmi and keeps the other back in the envelope.
Mihika: Is pe Raman ke sign chahiye aur yeh jo mere Pas hai uspe Ishita ke.
Simmi: Bhai ke sign toh main bus thodi der mein karwa lungi. Ishita ka kuch sochte hai.
Mihika: Aap log socho. But usse pehle Ishita ko ek jhatka dena toh banta hai. Sign kiye hue Divorce papers use dikha toh doon.
Simmi: Par woh sign nahin karegi. Koi plan ban jaye tab dikhana na.
Mihika: Simmi di aap samajh nahi rahe ho. Jab woh pehli baar papers dekhegi woh unhe padhegi. Isliye abhi mai use sirf divorce papers dungi. Jab hamara plan ban jayega tab uske pas divorce papers ke sath sath affidavit bhi le jayenge. Usse lagega same hi papers hai aur woh dono pe sign kar degi.
Param: Bahut door ki sochti ho tum Mihika! I like it!!
Mihika: Ishita ko harane ke liye door ki sochni padegi warna woh baazi mar jayegi.
Simmi: Ab jo hum teen mil gaye hai na toh hamara palra hamesha bhari rahega. Ishita ki barbaadi toh ab hoke rahegi.
Mihika: Chalo main chalti hoon. Sign ho jaye Raman ke toh papers mujhe de dena. Aur kuch socho Ishita se sign karwane ke tareeke. Main bhi sochti hoon kuch. Baki main lawyer se coordinate karke manage kar lungi.
Raman's Bedroom:
Raman has once again had a restless night. Simmi's words are haunting him. He wonders what Ishita's ultimate plan is- does she want to sabotage or take over his business and is using these tactics of troubling his family as a distraction while using her bond with Pihu to balance it out??
While he is lost in his thoughts Adi walks in and interrupts him.
Adi: Good morning Sir. Aap kuch pareshan lag rahe ho? Is everything okay?
Raman: Good morning Adi. Yes all good. Kuch kam tha?
Adi: Haan woh actually apne mujhe aapko yad dilane ko kaha tha ki jis din Pihu ka school na ho us din aap use councillor ka pas le jaoge. Aur aaj Sunday hai toh...
Raman: Maine kaha tha?
Adi: Haan... Tuesday ko kaha tha apne.
Raman: Thanks Adi mujhe yaad dilane ke liye. Main bhul jata hun. Ek kam karta hoon councillor se baat kar leta hoon...
Adi: Maine aapke behalf unko pehle hi call kar diya tha. Woh 2 hours mein Pihu se mil sakti hai. Maine Ruhi ko bol diya hai woh Pihu ko ready kar degi. Aur bus ab Ishita ji ko batana baki hai..
Raman: Ishita ko kyun? Pihu ko main akele le jaunga.
Adi: Pichle baar aap dono sath gaye the na toh Pihu ko bhi accha laga tha... toh is bar bhi Pihu ke liye...
Raman's temper starts building up and he talks to Adi in a very stern voice.
Raman: Tumhe ek baar mein kahi baat samajh mein nahi aati hai kya? Pihu ke sath sirf main jaunga. Uska Papa main hoon. Apni beti ko sambhalna acche se aata hai mujhe. Kisi bahar wale ki help nahin chahiye mujhe! Ab jao yahan se main ready hoke neeche aata hoon.
Adi walks out completely confused! He isn't able to figure out what could have possibly happened since the previous evening that Raman is once again angry with Ishita. Within seconds of Adi leaving the room he notices Simmi going to see Raman and then he suddenly remembers that last night he saw Simmi and Param celebrating something. He hits his head with his hand and thinks why was he so stupid that he didn't try to listen to what they were so happy about. Now until Raman does not either tell them -which is unlikely, or go and once again pick a fight with Ishita- the chances of which are very high these days, he will not know what misunderstanding has been created this time. Then he realises he can go and listen to Both of them talking right now. He rushes back to Raman's room and leans right outside the door.
By the time Adi reaches the door he notices that they are not talking much. Raman is just signing some papers that have been given to him by Simmi.
Adi is about to leave when he hears Simmi speak.
Simmi: Thanks Bhai. Aapke sign ho gaye toh ab Param ji aaj hi jake tender bhar denge.
Raman: Bus kisi bhi tarah yeh Bhatiya's ka contract hamare haath lag jaye. Phir us Miss Ishita ko aisa sabak sikhaunga main...
Simmi: Bhai hamare chances toh acche hain. Param ji ne kal raat ko yeh kuch figures revise jo kiya hai usse hamare prices ab bahut competitive ho gaye hain. Profit margin thoda kam hai but still humein accha khasa profit ho jayega isse.
Raman: Thanks Simmi. Tune aur Param ne really kitna kuch sambhal rakha hai. Meri aadhi tension toh tum dono ki wajah se khatam ho jati hai. Acha chal ab main jaldi se ready ho jata hoon mujhe bahar nikalna hai.
Simmi: Kahan ja rahe ho?
Raman: Sunday hai toh bus Pihu ke sath bahar.
Simmi: Ok bhai! Aap papa-beti enjoy karo. Contract ki tension mat lo Param ji dekh lenge.
Raman quickly rushes into the bathroom and Simmi looks at the file and kisses it and has a triumphant look on her face.
Adi rushes before Simmi comes out and goes into Ruhi's room where Ruhi is doing Pihu's hair. Pihu is in a good mood. Adi decides to wait for Pihu to leave before he tells anyone about what he just saw.
Adi decides to join Raman and Pihu for breakfast. Throughout breakfast Adi has been watching Raman intently hoping he will give something away however Raman is busy chit chatting with Pihu. They finish breakfast and quickly leave. Ruhi has also joined Adi to see them off.
Ruhi: Adi bhaiya Papa Ishimaa ko sath kyu nahin le gaye? Pihu ko woh wahan handle nahin kar payenge agar woh upset ho gai.
Adi: I know but abhi usse bhi badi problem khadi ho gai hai. Chal mere sath. Humein abhi Ishimaa se milna hoga.
Iyer House:
Ishita and Bala are sitting and eating breakfast. Kiran comes and places a small bowl with 3 tablets in front of Ishita.
Kiran: Aaj tumhein time pe medicines lena hi hoga! Bahut carelessness ho gai ab aur nahi chalega.
Bala: Ishu, Kiran is the boss. Aur boss ki baat ko talkar aaj tak koi phayde mein nahin raha hai!
Bala and Ishita are laughing when Adi and Ruhi barge in. Ishita turns to look at them and seeing their expression her smile disappears instantly.
Ishita: Kya hua? Tum dono itne tension mein kyun ho? Pihu thik hai na? Raman... Raman ko kuch hua hai kya unki tabiyat...
Adi: Woh dono thik hain. Papa infact Pihu ke sath bahar gaye hain. But Ishimaa Simmi bua ne kuch naya game khela hai.
Ishita: Kyun ab kya kiya usne?
Adi quickly tells Ishita what he saw and heard.
Ishita: Ek baat batao Adi Raman ne bina padhe papers sign kiye hai kya?
Adi: Woh toh nahin pata Ishimaa. Jab main pahuncha toh Papa sign kar rahe the.
Ishita worries if Simmi has managed to influence Raman to get him to sign the divorce papers without reading them.
Ishita: Yeh Bhatia kaun hai aur kaisa tender? Chalo mere sath.
Ishita rushes to her room. Half of her breakfast and medicines now forgotten. She picks up her phone.
Ishita: Hello Ashok, kaise ho?
Ashok: Ishita! I'm fine now. Tum theek ho na. Maine suna kya hua wahan...
Ishita: Haan I'm ok. But yahan kuch... matlab Simmi ne phir koi naya game khelna shuru kiya hai Raman ko mere khilaf bhadkane ke liye...
Ashok: Ab kya kiya usne?
Ishita: Puri baat toh nahin pata... aadhi baat hi sun paya Adi.
Ishita then quickly tells Ashok what Adi overheard.
Ishita: Main toh kisi Bhatiya koh janti bhi nahin. Toh mera naam leke pata nahin woh kya karne ki koshish kar rahi hai.
Ashok: Arey kahin yeh woh Bhatiya and Co. ke contract ke bare mein toh nahin hai?
Ishita: Yeh kaun hai? Maine toh is company ka naam bhi nahi suna hai.
Ashok: Arey yeh jo company hai uske through Bhaiya apni black money ko White bana ke dikhata hai. Uska Sara business shady hai.
Ishita: Aur Param iske contract ke liye bid kar raha hai?
Ashok: Usko bhi Kuch cut mil raha hoga I'm sure.
Ishita: Par kal ko kuch gadbad ho gaya toh legal liability toh Raman pe ayengi na... par is sab mein main kis angle se fit hoti hoon? Simmi ise Raman ko mere khilaf bhadkane ke liye kaise use kar rahi hai?
Ashok: Pata nahi Ishita. But contract kisi hal mein Pihu Industrues ko nahin milna chahiye. Hamare taraf jo log office mein loyal hai unko bolo thoda nazar rakhein.
Ishita: Thik hai main dekhti hun. Accha chalo tum apna dhayan rakhna. Mai aungi jald tumse milne. Tumne suna na Adi-Ruhi. Office mein jo hamare bharose ke log hai unko bolna Param ke activities pe dhayan rakhe.
Ruhi: Don't worry Ishimaa hum dhayan rakhenge.
Pihu's Councillor
Raman has been siting outside the councillor's office for less than ten minutes when he hears Pihu cry. Raman is anxious to go in but he knows he should respect their privacy.
Within minutes the door opens and the councillor asks Raman to come in.
Councillor: Pihu bahut disturbed hai. Ishita Ji ko khoj rahi hai. Kahan hai woh?
Raman: Main aaj akele aya hun.
Councillor: Maine apko pichle bar bhi kaha tha Ishita bahut important hai Pihu ke liye so un dono ka sath time spend karna Pihu ke liye accha hai.
Raman is at loss for words. He wonders how to explain that Ishita is always up to no good and might end up being a bad influence on Pihu too.
Raman: Don't worry .Doc. Meri beti hai mai sambhal lunga. But usne kuch kaha?
Councillor: Nahin. Jahan puchne ki koshish ki woh upset ho gai aur bus Ishita ko yaad karne lagi. But koi toh baat hai jisse woh bahut pareshan hai. I think Ishita ke alawa woh kisi se yeh baat share nahi kar payegi. Un dono ki bonding hi kuch aisi hai. Filhaal Pihu jitna Ishita ke sath reh paye utna accha hai.
Raman is frustrated hearing this. He goes towards Pihu and finds her cuddled in the corner of the couch crying and trembling. Raman tries to hug her and calm her down but to no avail. She just keeps calling out for Ishita between sobs. Raman manages to get her to leave. While they are driving in the car he tries to cheer her up by suggesting a trip to an ice-cream parlor, shopping mall, a movie theatre, her favourite Chinese restaurant but she just keeps crying and saying she wants to go home. Raman is desperate to calm down Pihu but can think of nothing so he decides to rush home. Maybe she wants to sleep it off and she will feel better. Once they reach the apartment and park the car Raman holds her hand and walks next to her as they go home. Pihu is still crying. As soon as they reach their apartment corridor Pihu pulls her hand free of Raman's grip and without saying a word runs into the Iyer house.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this preview.
If you are interested in reading the entire chapter and more parts of this story which I have orignally posted on Wattpad: https://goo.gl/exggCE
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